CHARLOTTE — One of the largest celebrations marking Juneteenth in the area took place in University City Friday evening.
Hundreds of people showed up to the Juneteenth Arts Festival at the University Area boardwalk to commemorate the past and celebrate the future.
“It’s fun, it’s refreshing, you know, having to be able to take a day off like this and enjoy with your family,” Kayan Roberts said.
It was the third annual University Area Juneteenth celebration. There was music, arts, and dozens of vendors to share their business and culture.
“It gives celebration, safety, peace, just everything,” vendor Jillian Hampton said.
“For everybody to come together and celebrate each other just everything we all go through on the day-to-day, so I’m just happy to be here, it feels good,” she said.
Organizer Keith Stanley helps run the event and said it has grown every year. He says it’s a celebration and acknowledgement of history, which may be closer than you think.
“It’s a reflection on community and culture and brining people together to celebrate,” Stanley said. “Just yards away from us is the W.T. Alexander Slave Burial Ground; 161 years ago there are men and women who are interred there who didn’t know one day they would be free.”